Stamp-canceler and fountain-brush



1. s'. mz.

STAMP CANCELER AND FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

APPLICATION FiLED APR. 1o. |919.

17,328,031 y Patented Jan.13,'1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ANCELER clmou BRITZ.

AND FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

FILED APR. l0. 1919- n Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

s'rrs rnvrnnr orme JOHN s. Bnrrz, or rond: nunon, MICHIGAN.

STAMP-CANCELER AND FOUNTAIN-BRUSH.

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Patented Jan. 13, v1920.

Application filed April 10, 1919. Serial 1\To.289,024.

ofMichigan, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Stamp-Cancelers and Fountain-Brushes, of which the followis a ,speciiication he invention has for an object vto provide an efficient device for canceling stamps by mail sorters while distributing matter which has been ypassed through a canceling machine, these machines as at present constructed being found to leave uncanceled a large number of stamps on letters which. have been passed with others through the machine. It is also an important aim'tozprovide adevice of that character which may be readily mountedv upon the pigeon-hole case ordinarily employed in the post olices of the country, whereby the sorter may cancel such stamps as require it, without being compelled to leave his post at the case. It is also afurther aim to provide a removable marker appliance adapted to be quickly lilled with ink or the like.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the construction, arrangement'and combination of parts hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is affrontv view of a distributing case equipped with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of my invention showing a portion of the case construction, y

Fig. 8 is a detail of one form of marker,

Fig. 4L is a similar view of a modied form yof the marker device,

Fig. 5 is a top view thereof, with a part cut away,

Fig. 6 is a further modification of the Amarker device.

There is illustrated a distributing case 10,

lof a vfamiliar form, a case usually compris- 'right hand side of the-bay, I mount a stamp canceling device 12, and also one closely adjacent the left hand end 13 of the central case'section, approximately as indicated at '14. Each of these ymarkers is constructed in the same manner, preferably as shown 1n Fig. 1 as 'to the. structuraldetails of the Fig. '3.

iilounting, and the applicator 15 `may be constructed-asin any of the forms subsequently to be described VThe mounting includes afbase plate 16, suitablyapertured for the reception of mounting screws, and ysecured in that manner upon the top board 17 ofthe Ilcase. The plate 16 `is provided with an ear 18l at its outer part, -projectedbeyond the .fcase 1 a distance 'and centrally apertured toreeclve a pivot pin`19 by 'which the fbase ear 20 of a swinging arm 21 is pivoted upon the gplate, a vthumb inut A22 being engaged upon the-pin 19to secure the arm 21 when adjusted at the proper angle. VThearm 21 is'preferably formedof sheet metal'havng the ear 20 Vformed integrally. therewith asa lateral extension.l and bent upwardly iinto a plane at right. angles to the major part of the arm 2l, they outer end 23 of the arm `being bent outwardly to lie in a planeob- `liolue tothe plane of the arm .21 and centrally apertured to receive the conical nozzle piece 24 ofa marker or ink applicator 15. The applicator 15 comprises a cylindrical reservoir element 25 closed at its vupper end and interiorly threaded at its lower end, the nozzle element 24 being formedv withanseX- teriorly threaded portion 26 screwed into the open end of the'reservoir 25. The nozzle 211 is provided with a knurled flange 27, by which it may Abe. manipulated 'to eifect its emplacement or removal from the reservoir,

the cone 24 is `hollow and its interior is enlarged toward its inner end, 'permitting a felt wick clement 28 to be inserted therethrough from thel innerside as shown VThe vbase ofthe reservoir is provided on its upper Isidewith a lug 29 adapted to be inserted through the apertured end 130 of a spring -rretainer arm 331. This arm Slis lsecuredupon thearm 21 vclose to the base'of `the latt'er and extended 'divergently fastening devices.

35 isprovided, having its closed end provided with an interiorly threaded aperture through which there is engaged a screw 36 having a piston 37 thereon snugly tted in the reservoir, the outer end of the screw beingprovided with a knurled head 38 by which it may be rotated to move the piston 37 longitudinally in the reservoir. In the outer end of the reservoir 35 there is screwed a nozzle element 39 having a knurled flange therearound by which it may be manipulated for removal and replacement, the nozzle having a plain cylindrical passage therethrough in which bristles 40 are snugly packed, having located centrally therein an ink feeding tube 41 through which ink may be fed to the bristles from within the reservoir, when the screw 36 is moved. The closed end of the reservoir 35 is provided with knobs 42 thereon, at opposite sides the spring arm 31 corresponding to the arm 31 first described being bifurcated at its outer end to receive the screw 36 therein slidably, and formed with recesses 43 in its lower side closely adjacent the inner end of the slot 44 between the furcations, the outer ends of the furcations of the arm. being bent upwardly. The reservoir may also be provided with a guide ylug 45 adapted to lit between the furcations so as to insure the lugs 42 being in the proper position to engage in the recesses 44 when the device is put in place. This device may be adjusted in the mounting in the same manner as the first described form of the applicator and may be withdrawn without requiring the use 0f more than one hand, as well as put in place with one hand. By its use, when it is necessary to mark characters 'upon a package, the reservoir 35 may be grasped and pulled from its mounting and used as a marking brush, after which it may be quickly returned to its place, ready for use as a stamp canceling device. When used as a marker, if a considerable amount of marking is to be done, the screw 36 may be manipulated to force ink out as required. For supplying ink in canceling, it is thought .that the capillary action of the liquid and the force of gravity will besuificient to assure its proper action.

In the cancellation of a stamp the parcel bearing the stamp is grasped by one end (opposite that having the stamp thereon preferably) and raised with the stamp at the upper side, until the ink applying means (felt or bristles) is engaged, the stamp being interposed. In this way the stamp is eiectively canceled.

The appliance may be variously constructed within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a preferred construction of the applicator, in which the reservoir 35 is used, but the nozzle element 45 screwed into the outer end thereof is formed with a central conical duct 46 located centrally of the bristles 47 in ywhich a valve element 48 is adapted to snugly engage at times.l The valve 48 is fixed upon a stem D 49 having threaded engagement through the closed end of the reservoir, and is provided with a flange 50 adapted to engage over the inner end of the element 46 to completely close it. The valve 48 is elongated and adapted to lie loosely within the duct 46, thereby obviating necessity for complete withdrawal of the valve from the duct and serving as a guide for the valve.

What is claimed:

l. A device of the character described comprising a base plate adapted to be secured upon a support and having an outstanding ear, a swinging arm pivoted thereon, having an apertured outer end and a divergent spring element extending into line with the aperture of the arm, the arm and the spring being in a plane approximately at right angles to the axis of the connection between the arm and the base plate, means to secure the arm at various angles to the base plate, and a marking device having an end inserted through the aperture of the arm and its opposite end engaged under said spring.

2. A device of the character described comprising an arm element adjustably mounted for positioning in various angular relation to the horizontal and having an outer broadened and apertured end, a spring mounted upon the inner part of the arm and extending divergently outward into line with said aperture and having an outwardly turned extremity, a marking appliance comprising a reservoir having a nozzle element adapted to be inserted through the aperture of the arm, the base portion of the reservoir and the extremity of the said spring being constructed for snap-locking engagement to hold the reservoir releasably in operative position.

3. A device of the character described comprising an arm mounted adjustably for disposition at various angles to the horiiio zontal, and having an apertured outer end,

a reservoir element having a discharge nozzle, a marking material engaged in the nozzle and extending therefrom a distance, a screw engaged through the bottom of the reservoir, a piston within the reservoir operable by the screw, a spring on the arm extending divergently therefrom to line with the aperture, this spring and base of the reservoir being constructed for releasable coengagement to hold the reservoir in operative position.

4. A device of the character described comprising ay supporting arm having an apertured outer end, a spring Von the inner part of the arm extending divergently therefrom into line with the aperture and having its extremity bent outwardly, a longitudinal slot'formed in the outer end of the spring, a reservoir element having a nozzle adapted to be inserted partly through the aperture of the arm, ink applying means carried by the nozzle, the base of the reser voir having means to engage in said slot to 10 hold the reservoir in a predetermined rela- In testimony whereof I have ahxed my 15 signature in presence of tWo Witnesses. A JOHN S. BRITL Witnesses:

CHAS.' D. MoKENzrE, CEAS. L. SHARROW. 

